Osama's Dead... what now?

I have to admit a small slice of joy over Osama's death this week.  And then I felt guilty.  The Facebook posts varied from 'Justice was done' to 'Love your enemy' and I'm still waffling between the two emotions.  I was going to write a treatise on this, but frankly, someone beat me to it... kudos to Chris Seiple for his article recently published in Christianity Today.  I couldn't have said it better, and I'd highly encourage reading it in full.  It's worth quoting a few highlights:

"This weekend, the perpetrator of 9/11 learned that there are consequences for sin. Those consequences are sometimes delivered by governments whose responsibility is justice (Rom. 13:3-5; 1Pet. 2:14)—even if their bows, according to their condition, may yield evil with the good.

Indeed, since it is a "dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31), we are also humbly reminded of and hopefully repent of our own sin.  And we remember anew that God's Son lived, died, and today teaches a New Testament, calling each of his believers to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:44-45).

I didn't love bin Laden. And I can count on one hand the number of times I prayed for him over the past ten years. My heart convicts me—forgive my sin, dear God—but I have no qualms about his death, or how he died.

I do know, however, that it is not a time for celebration.The God of history is quite clear:"As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live" (Ezek. 33:11). Bin Laden's death, instead, should be a time for somber reflection. We should be grateful for justice, even as we renew our call to live out the message of reconciliation "as though God were making his appeal through us" (2 Cor. 5:19-21).

Pray for more people-to-people relations between America and Pakistan, such as the relationship I have with my Islamist friend. It is these relationships of reconciliation that break down the walls of misunderstanding, creating the possibility of mutual respect and peace. Pray that you might be given a meaningful relationship with a Muslim in your own community.

Finally, pray for wisdom and stamina. This stuff isn't for sissies. As Jesus forewarned: "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves" (Matt. 10:16).

The times are too many when I have been less than shrewd, less than innocent, as I have journeyed into the Islamic world. It is not an easy thing to let go of stereotypes and preconditions, but I am learning.

It gets easier, I have found, the more I rely on the One who died for his enemy, for my sin. After all, did this Jewish rabbi not engage the enemy Samaritan at the well in mid-day (John 4)? Did this Prince of Peace not forgive his enemies on the cross when nobody asked (Luke 23:34)?

Do we dare aspire to anything less?"

A New Arab World

Great op-ed from a CNN journalist this week, noting the hope that now is growing for a new Arab World.  The article was entitled "A new Arab World is coming, with or without U.S." I had to chuckle at the inference that the U.S. really didn't have anything to do with the current events.

John Esposito, a leading professor of Islamic-Christian studies confirms that "What has occurred is not an attempt at an Islamist takeover but a broad-based call for reforms." (source)

Will their really be reform and freedom in the Arab World?  Of course this remains to be seen, but I hope and pray that religious freedom, and the freedom to change ones religion become values in these new societies.  I hope corruption becomes a dirty word in the Middle East, instead of the status quo, and that entrepreneurialism is encouraged and rewarded.  I long for women to have equal rights, to be respected, not only by governments, but by their families and cultures.  I long for Christians to be able to worship in freedom, to share the hope of their Saviour with their friends, to build churches and meet in homes without fear of retribution.  

May God bring about a temporal peace, yes, but even more, may he create the kind of environment where Arabs, the sons of Abraham and Ishmael, are free to consider eternal life and eternal peace with their creator.

Sovereignty in Revolution

Found this New York Times Interactive editorial outstanding, walking through the series of events in Tunisia and Egypt.   

We are living in a fascinating time in world history.  Let it be noted that this revolution is not the work of Islamists or fundamentalists, and certainly not terrorists.  It is an uprising of normal everyday people that have had enough of oppression, even by what the US deemed Western-allied, Israeli tolerant regimes.  I find it somewhat disturbing that the US propped up such governments for years.  Just demonstrates how fickle and short sighted we really are. We see world events in the 4 year segments of US politics much of the time.  

Then there's Iran, who spoke out in support of Egyptian protesters, all the while suppressing it's own anti-government pro-democracy group and minority, but growing, Christian population with brutality and imprisonment.  It's like they're saying... revolution is fine on the Med... but not the Persian Gulf.  There are times and seasons I suppose...makes me wonder what God is up to.

A lesson to be learned...This revolution is not to be feared perhaps like Iran's or Afghanistan's were... this is a movement of people wanting true freedom and a voice. However, even the revolutions of past decades, really are not causes for panic in the big picture.  We need to be careful to watch these events with a healthy awe, for God is at work meting out his sovereign will as it pertains to rulers and authorities.  Certainly, I am praying for more freedom for Egyptian and Tunisian Christians, for the gospel to spread.  But, whatever the outcome, it is God who sets up rulers and brings them down... Even in Iran, an Islamic strict government, Christianity is growing... God has purposes and seasons and is sovereign to create the circumstances in every place and state on earth that are right for drawing men to himself, and accomplishing his purposes.  I'm trying to keep that mind as it seems many times the world is spinning out of control... God has a plan in the chaos.

Egyptian Muslims protect Christians on Coptic Christmas

In an unbelievable show of solidarity, Muslims formed a human wall around a Coptic church in Alexandria, ensuring the Christians a peaceful worship Sunday.  Muslims united to condemn the Islamists attacks and threats on Copts around the world.  Thank you to our Muslim brothers in Egypt.

Just another proof that it's not all bad news in the Middle East.  There are glimmers of hope here and there, sometimes you have to look hard, but they're there.